Someone Else
by RubbleStrength
Summary: Whose version of perfect was he supposed to be, because he couldn't possibly fit into everyone's ideal. "Be more like your brother." That wouldn't happen. "You're like I was." No, that wasn't true either. "Can't you behave like everyone else?" No, because he wasn't everyone else. Couldn't they see that?


**Characters belong to Christy Newman.**

Being perfect... what did that mean? Truly? Darkly, he pondered that. What was perfect? Whose version of perfect was he supposed to be... because it seemed he couldn't possibly fit into everyone's ideal. "Be more like your brother." That wouldn't happen. "You're like I was." No, that wasn't true either. "Can't you behave like everyone else?" No, because he wasn't everyone else. Sometimes he wished he could be, but he simply wasn't... and he needed them to see that.

So when Tollan said those words; "You and I are the same," all Ryden felt was anger, because he wasn't like Tollan-or anyone else. He was himself. Still, he had to wonder why no one would accept that. Why was it that he was never quite good enough? Had he somehow done something that made him less than everyone around him?

On occasion, he'd been told he was special. Was that wrong? It seemed to be when everyone around him told him to conform-be like them. To be like everyone else was to disappear. What was a world without unique personalities? Dull and lifeless, he supposed. If so, why did they want that? His father wanted it, Tollan did too-in a different way.

The only answer he'd found was to stay away from them all. If he didn't hear them, he could simply act as though they had nothing to say.

His thoughts ran in circles, storming in his mind with more force than he'd care to admit. He stared distantly over a stall door, watching Arco pace. Cold eyes watched as though staring through everything before him. Ryden was pulled from his musing as Arco reached over the stall door and bumped his shoulder-not gently-and snorted. With the same distant stare, he ran a hand over the horse's muzzle and slowly up, tracing along the center of the stallion's face until his hand rested at the horse's forehead. "Hm?" The quietly hummed tone came out as a question.

The horse turned his head sideways and snorted again.

"Who do you think I ought to be?" He tugged carefully on the horse's ears.

Arco shook his head, freeing his ears and then let his head rest on Ryden's shoulder.

He supposed that meant he was fine the way he was. Smiling slightly, he ran a hand through Arco's long mane. "Agreed." Why were they so much easier to talk to? Every single one of them; the horses. Perhaps it was because they never argued or yelled. They didn't understand hate-it wasn't something they felt. Nothing they did was out of a personal interest. They wanted to understand, to be kind, and they wanted to be safe... it was all they asked-and in comparison, that was very little. "Complicated" wasn't a word that applied to them.

People complained about "problem" horses. There was no such thing. The problem was with the people... their inability, or unwillingness to be patient. If a horse was taught what they ought to do, they would always do it. Any fault or "defect" a horse had, inherently came from their rider or trainer. They didn't chose to be "difficult." If he could chose only one word to describe them, it would be one given only to them; beauty. To him, life was a mess, people were cruel, and things were meaningless... but not them.

Somewhere along his life, he'd learned to be kind; but he'd taught himself... by watching them; the horses. His parents hadn't taught him. (though his mother tried) Beyond that, he'd learned that someone should never insult one's horse... not because of pride... Rather, because for many, it was their reason to get up. The only thing that kept them sane. Something that stopped them from taking the easy way out of their problems and ending them forever. What made them smile when they would rather not... That should never be taken lightly or mocked, no matter the reason.

 **If anyone reads... thank you. Hope you enjoyed. :)**


End file.
